One game to go this entertaining season (the Pro Bowl doesn’t count). Hopefully, it will be an entertaining finale. The Steelers are a 6 1/2-point favorite, but don’t think they are going to cover.

PITTSBURGH VS. ARIZONA
Why the Steelers might win: Pittsburgh is simply the better team. The level of competition the Steelers have faced is superior, their defense is better, they have the experience, and they know how to win close games. Pittsburgh won the AFC North with a 12-4 record, then fended off the Chargers and Ravens (for the third time, no less) to reach the Super Bowl. This team is only three years removed from its last ring, with much of the same personnel on the field, starting with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Steeler defense might be the best in team history, even better than the Steel Curtain teams of the 1970s. If the D starts forcing turnovers (specifically, intercepting Kurt Warner passes), and if the entire team makes the most of its opportunities (remember, the Steelers could have easily blown out the Ravens were it not for a few squandered chances), Pittsburgh could run away with a record sixth Super Bowl victory.
Why the Cardinals might win: Don’t let that 9-7 regular-season record (and December slide, after the NFC West had been clinched) fool you — Arizona is a good team. Knocking out Atlanta in the wild-card round was impressive; ousting Carolina in the divisional playoffs was a shock; defeating Philadelphia was a mere formality. Can the Cardinals prove the first two playoff victories weren’t flukes? Their defense has come through during the postseason, and coach and former Steelers assistant Ken Whisenhunt knows the tendencies of his old team. The offense is stellar, with Super Bowl veteran Kurt Warner defying his advanced age and elevating the passing game to fearsome. Running back Edgerrin James, going for his first Super Bowl ring, has balanced that offense in the postseason and will keep Pittsburgh’s defense honest. After decades of futility, perhaps the Cardinals have destiny on their side.
The pick: Steelers 20, Cardinals 16. Arizona will move the ball, but Pittsburgh’s defense will bend but not break in allowing just one touchdown. The Cardinals’ defense overwhelmed Carolina a few weeks ago and will not let the Steelers put up big points. However, Pittsburgh’s offense will be efficient enough to convert its scoring chances, particularly if the Steeler D creates some of those chances with turnovers. It won’t be a blowout, but Pittsburgh’s defense will be the difference and capture that sixth Lombardi Trophy.